Plantar Fasciitis (Read 724 times)

I noticed quite a bit of pain last week on my right arch going back to the heel. I cut back on my running for last week, but it was still there, so this week I am taking a break. I'm living in Taiwan right now and have been unable to find a suitable PT or podiatrist, so I can't get a good diagnosis. My question is, how much time should I take off? My plan is to wait a week and do a test run. Am I being overly optimistic? It's not too bad right now, and I don't want it to get worse. However, I'm also just picking up some steam in my running, and will hate to lose it. Thanks in advance for any advice.

JML

posted: 10/22/2012 at 7:25 PM

Welcome to the world of dealing with PF. There are a number of treatments that can help that are well covered by using the search tool for the forums. I have had it in both feet and found that taking time off did not really help. My only advice is that you should be prepared to try a number of different approaches until you find what works for your case. Here are some links to get you started.

Thanks for such a quick reply. I was especially interested in the one that gave some exercises to improve the leg muscles. As far as the ART massage, do you go to a PT for that or a massage therapist? I can find plenty of massage therapists, but they have some different ideas about foot massage and how to deal with these kinds of problems here, so I'm a little hesitant to try that one. But thanks again for the advice!

JML

posted: 10/22/2012 at 7:56 PM

The guy that I see for ART is the massage guy in a PT office. I have had other deep tissue work done and it does not compare to ART. It probably helps that the masseur that I see has PF himself and seems to understand what needs to be worked on. I will warn you that it is not a happy experience. It is one of those treatments that feels better the next day.

2015 goals: run a bunch....race some.....repeat...

ezrida

posted: 10/23/2012 at 4:56 PMmodified: 10/24/2012 at 3:10 AM

I have plantar fasciitis for a few months and I think you should wait a few days. if the pain doesn't come back - do not worry about it. If it does come back you should get a professional diagnosis. You can find out about plantar fasciitis symptoms in the link. The more symptoms you have the chance is you might have plantar fasciitis - try to find a podiatrist because there are many other possible foot injuries.

MY cure was yoga to strengthen the feet. I also made sure to stretch out the feet a little before getting out of bed, because I'd often exacerbate the PF with my first few steps in the morning before I started doing that.

MY cure was yoga to strengthen the feet. I also made sure to stretch out the feet a little before getting out of bed, because I'd often exacerbate the PF with my first few steps in the morning before I started doing that.

This has been my way of dealing with it as well. I occasionally use a frozen golf ball to roll under my foot after long runs. Other then that it's stretch in the AM before getting out of bed and yoga.

Thanks for all the ideas, Ive taken two days off so far and it's feeling better. I'm taking this week off, and I'll do a trial run on Sunday and hope for the best. ezrida, I'd love to see a doctor but, as far as I've found so far, there aren't too many here in Taiwan that deal with these kinds of things. I injured my toe last year and the doctor diagnosed gout. When I went to the specialist I was referred to, she laughed and said the first one was nuts. The podiatrist she referred me to told me that running was inherently bad for the body as it disrupted the flow of chi in the body. If anyone here in Taiwan knows of a good podiatrist, PLEASE let me know. Otherwise, I'll stick with self-diagnosis.

Stretch that tendon and, as suggested, do calf strengthening exercises. I would recommend squatting down, lowering your knees to the floor, and sitting on your heels. This will stretch the bottom of your foot. If it is tight this position will not be comfortable. Keep working on it until you can sit comfortably in this position for several minutes. If a podiatrist tries to sell you orthotics, leave immediately. Putting a plastic cast on your foot will only cause it to atrophy more, prolonging your problem and in fact making it worse.

i am dealing with some pf in my left foot right now. not too painful but it's there. went to my bonesetter here in japan 2 weeks ago. he yanked and pulled on my joints. said my left hip joint is tight, needs loosening up. he told me to sit japanese style on my heels to stretch out the bottom of my feet. i am doing my stretches everyday. my upcoming marathon is november, 3rd, shonan marathon which i hope to pr.

ezrida, I'd love to see a doctor but, as far as I've found so far, there aren't too many here in Taiwan that deal with these kinds of things. I injured my toe last year and the doctor diagnosed gout. When I went to the specialist I was referred to, she laughed and said the first one was nuts. The podiatrist she referred me to told me that running was inherently bad for the body as it disrupted the flow of chi in the body. If anyone here in Taiwan knows of a good podiatrist, PLEASE let me know. Otherwise, I'll stick with self-diagnosis.

You are right!

I have heard of doctors in the USA that would do the same mistakes.

You should find either a good podiatrist or a sports doc.

But some of the symptoms of plantar fasciitis are common to more foot problems so the diagnosis should be thorough.

First of all, Plantar Fasciitis is not an injury -- Plantar Fasciitis is a 'RUNNERS CURSE'

I developed it over a year ago training for a HM and as I understand it from my Podiatrist, once you have it you never get rid of it, but you can treat and deal with it. Initially, my Podiatrist was 'strapping' my PF - the link is only one strapping method but if you Google it, you will find many more (one of them will probably work for you). The strapping gave me immediate relief.. My Podiatrist advised me to get custom orthotics and said they would solve my problem (for some reason, I didn't believe him because I think that's a Podiatrist's solution to almost everything). I ended up buying some over the counter inserts specifically for PF and used them in my neutral running shoes and was able to start running again......

After a couple of months, the inserts seems really bulky and heavy.....and I decided not to wear them any longer because my PF was feeling better........but one day I was in CVS and found some Dr Scholl's very small PF inserts for $10 or $12 and started wearing them in my street shoes, and my walking around shoes and noticed a difference........sometimes I would wear the original inserts in my Running shoes and sometime I would take them out.

THEN, I read "Born to Run' and decided to take a more minimal approach - I started running about 2 to 4 miles per day in racing flats instead of training shoes (of course building up very gradually). Now I wear racing flats for my AM runs of 3 miles but I do still put in some of the DR Scholl's inserts in the racing flats just so I have a little bit of support...... What I am amazed by now is how good my feed normally feel after running in the more minimal shoes (there is something to running in lesser shoes and building strength in your feet - 'least there is for me)..

Somewhere along the line, the all the above has generally gotten me past PF. Now, occasionally I still feel PF but I can run again and am building my mileage back up -- normally when I feel my PF, its after a longer run and when running in my NB trainers......

I'm not sure if any of this is going to help you but if you look at my running log, you'll see that I have some running GAPS and they were from PF that for a while was so bad, I had a hard time walking.........and I dont feel it any longer.......

My advise to you is to experiment around with a lot of different ideas and something will probably work for you...but getting past PF is not a short term thing..

thanks to all for the advice. I took a week off, did as many of the stretching and strengthening exercises you've all recommended as possible, then went for a short run this morning. My foot is a little tight, but none of the pain of last week. I guess now I'll just keep up the exercises and get back into it as slowly as I can make myself.